Mike is the founder of Understanding eCommerce, a San Francisco-based Digital Marketing firm focused on Content development, SEO, and Web Accessibility.
The team at Understanding eCommerce has the collective experience, contacts, and vision to put emerging companies on track. Its competencies help young and maturing companies succeed in the emerging technology and consumer sectors.
Melinda told us why she likes to partner with Doherty and his team. “Mike is an amazing combination – he has deep expertise & skills from his background in Venture Capital. He understands business and how to build it based on solid fundamentals. However, Mike also has a razor-sharp mind and is very direct and to the point. Melinda likes to tease him that he is the “Dr. Phil” of business – he will tell you as he sees it, whether it’s easy to hear or not!”
What do you appreciate most about working with Zumifi?
I may be Dr. Phil, but Melinda is Peter Drucker incarnated – “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.“
The numbers tell a story, and we can continue to improve our businesses through that story. Outputs become inputs as we cycle for even greater improvement. Melinda rules when conveying the financial information buried in your data and guiding you through its strategic application.
How do you work with Zumifi?
I have worked with Melinda and her team for almost 20 years – you know, back in our teens. Melinda is my go-to person when it comes to financing. She is one of the few who genuinely get numbers and can convey or validate strategies.
When working with Melinda, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. We can accomplish working together more than we could achieve working separately. We each have our strengths – but when you put those strengths together, they produce something greater than we could alone.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Lots of coffee. In all honesty, it’s the fantastic people I get to meet. Whether it’s Matthias from enpact, who is bringing entrepreneurship to the MENA region, or helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams by offering solutions like Shopify for their eCommerce fulfillment.
What was the worst job you have ever had?
After college, I sold insurance. It was a multi-level marketing scheme to sell premium insurance to folks who didn’t need it. I never believed in the product so that I couldn’t sell it. If I did make a sale, I felt terrible. My insurance career only lasted a few weeks. – but I learned a lot in those few weeks. I learned how to overcome objections. I learned to believe in success. And most importantly, I learned when to walk away when you don’t believe in what you do.
What are the best perks that you have ever had at a job?
As an entrepreneur, I face the same challenges as my clients – not having enough time, worrying about the next deal, etc. But the perks, well, it just doesn’t get better than this. My schedule is flexible to attend the ballet with my daughter on Wednesdays or hang around to take pictures on her first day at the Grundschule.
How cool is that?